As president, Hillary will: Automatically register voters.

[Madam45for2923]

Voting rights: We should be making it easier to vote, not harder.

As president, Hillary will:

Automatically register voters. Hillary will work so that every citizen is automatically registered to vote when they turn 18, unless they opt out, and make sure that voter registration rolls are accurate and secure.

Repair the Voting Rights Act. Hillary will fight to restore the portions of the Voting Rights Act that were struck down by the Supreme Court to make sure that all citizens enjoy the full protections they deserve—especially in states where they have been disproportionately targeted by laws that restrict voting access to the polls. She will fight back against harmful restrictions on voting across the country, so that minority voters, young people, low-income voters, seniors, and women are equally capable as others at expressing their voices and their votes in our democracy.

Set a national standard for early voting. In an effort to reduce long lines and give more people with family or work obligations an opportunity to vote, Hillary will set a national standard for early voting, giving voters at least 20 days to vote in the evenings or on weekends before election day.

Restore voting rights. Americans who have paid their debts to society and have served their sentences should have the right to vote, and Hillary will support legislation to make sure their voting rights are restored.

Take action. Hillary will implement the recommendations of the president’s bipartisan commission to improve voting.

https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/voting-rights/

[LisaM]

1. This is so long overdue.

And it can effectively counter all the voter suppression techniques, which seem to be the last gasp of the GOP.

[Divine Discontent]

25. so long overdue! everyone who's not in prison should be allowed to vote, easily!

[Buckeye_Democrat]

2. Good!

To be honest, I even think convicted felons should be allowed to vote, especially if they're out of prison and being taxed. No taxation without representation! Remember that, Americans?

It's not very high on my "wish list" of changes, but I'd like to see it in principle.

[davidn3600]

3. How much of this is constitutional?

To a certain extent, the states have a right to run their own elections without interference of the federal government. It's part of the separation of powers. The only time the Supreme Court has allowed the federal government to get involved is when racial discrimination is occurring (ie: Voter Rights Act) or in the case of Bush vs Gore.

All this sounds great, but not sure how much is going to stick. The federal government doesn't control the voter rolls. And I am not so sure the Supreme Court is going to allow them to assume that control without some type of constitutional amendment.

[Exilednight]

7. That about sums it up.

It sounds great, but will never be put into practice.

[loyalsister]

8. I think it would require a constitutional amendment

There are restrictions on interference and what states cannot do, but there is no affirmative right to vote in the constitution. I think that would have to change for registration to be automatic.

[pnwmom]

12. Thank you for outing yourself. n/t

[edbermac]

14. You were alerted on this.

Didn't work out quite the way they wanted to.

[LiberalFighter]

20. They have a little more to say when it involves federal elections.

[Peaches999]

21. The Motor Voter Act is constitutional

I thought you were going to say automatic registration is unconstitutional. I don't think that is either.

[davidn3600]

22. If a state wants to pass that, it's fine. But the federal government doesn't control the voter rolls

The Motor Voter Act doesn't dictate deadlines or who is eligible to vote. It only streamlines the registration procedures to include motor vehicle departments. What Hillary is proposing here is a massive overhaul of election laws. in the way the states conduct their elections. You are essentially taking power away from the states and placing the power of voter registration in the hands of the federal government.

I'm not saying it's a bad idea. But you would need a Constitutional amendment that gives the federal government the power to make such laws. Right now, the federal government cannot mandate registration to everyone or provide 20 days of early voting or mandate criminals can vote. That's a state right. And that's not going to fly even in a liberal supreme court because it just isn't in line with Constitutional law.

[joshcryer]

23. Or liberal SCOTUS justices that can be reasonable.

I don't see how it would be unconstitutional.

[Jason1961]

4. Great!

This will stop almost all voter suppression tactics of the the Republican Party.

With the demographics changing the way they are and considering what Trump as done to the Republican Party we might not lose another Presidential Election for a generation!

They've been going down hill for awhile now though, if you look at 2000 when Gore got the vote of the people and Bush got the vote of the EC it was a clear sign that the Republican Party was sinking on a National Level. It was a "change" election and he still lost the vote count. 2004 He won reelection but that was due in large part that as the incumbent he had a significant advantage, and America was still choking on "Patriotism" and "Freedom Fries" so the lies from the Swift Boat group really hurt him (personally and in the election). Once Obama swept in 2008 and again in 2012 the end was here (not near) for them.

[tonyt53]

5. We do need national voter standards. But damn, will there ever be resistance against it.

[Old Vet]

6. Shit, It would be all hands on deck to defeat any attempt at this by republicans..........

Although it would be a great idea, Honestly the odds of a bill automatically registering citizens would be toast.

[loyalsister]

10. Elections are left to states for good reason.

School board, county, city council, and special elections do not always align with national elections. Forcing a change so that they all do would definitely violate the priciple of self government tailored to locales. I'm not talking about states rights in the context republicans use it. I'm saying that what works in some states doesn't work in others in terms of process.

It would wreak havoc if suddenly, all of our city election standards were wiped out because in my area, they are elected in off years.

[awoke_in_2003]

24. Set the standard

for federal level elections, and let the states do their own dumbass thing for state and local government.

[Lucky Luciano]

11. If this is her only accomplishment, it would be a huge win. Nt

[MadDAsHell]

13. No thank you; the government's history of "accurate & secure" databases is a joke.

Automatically registering voters is a great idea. But I have exactly zero faith in our government's ability to maintain a secure database of such information.

The federal government created and enforces HIPAA to allegedly enforce the proper protection of protected health information (PHI).

You know which types of entities regularly have the most breaches of PHI? Local, state, and federal government agencies.

[bucolic_frolic]

15. How are the databases at Target doing these days?

[MadDAsHell]

16. Exactly; all databases are vulnerable. Why exactly then would we allow the govt to do this? nt

[bucolic_frolic]

17. Because private industry can't do it any better

[MadDAsHell]

18. Wait, you admit both are likely to leak/be hacked, but still want to do this?

You realize "neither" is an option too, right?

[bucolic_frolic]

19. Not if you want to support full democracy where everyone votes

Someone has to do it. May as well be an enduring entity like the federal
government, who will likely use some private contractors anyway.

Of course if you're against democracy - universal suffrage - that's not a good choice

[bhikkhu]

30. Oregon does it, without any problem

I can't imagine a "government databases aren't secure" argument against voting leading to anything remotely worthwhile. How are we to vote at all, then? If you don't think the government can be trusted to register voters or manage the database of voters, who should do it?

[Massacure]

26. The federal government should tie transportation funding to voter registration.

When someone goes to get/renew their drivers license or id card, each state's DMV should be required to offer to register that person to vote. If they do not, yank the states federal transportation funding.

[Proud Public Servant]

27. This would be the way to do it

IIRC, that's how we raised the drinking age to 21 nationwide.

[loyalsister]

28. Great idea

If a state doesn't want people who are too poor to own a car to vote, all they have to do is NOT follow those guidelines and then use the lack of funds to justify shutting down public transit.

[bhikkhu]

29. We do that in Oregon and it works well

Why not? We have ballot by mail, 70% or so voter participation even in the mid-terms, and no reports I have ever heard of vote fraud.

[lindysalsagal]

31. I'd like to believe this. Not holding my breath.